Title: Combining different approaches to company development

Authors: Jens 0. Riis, Jeanette Knopp, Frank Gertsen

Addresses: Department of Production, Aalborg University, Denmark. Department of Production, Aalborg University, Denmark. Department of Production, Aalborg University, Denmark

Abstract: This paper represents an attempt to shed light on an important issue for company development: namely, the orchestration of individual development projects and initiatives of different types and nature necessary for achieving an overall significantly improved performance. The paper will first introduce three approaches to developmental initiatives: (a) cross-functional development; (b) functional development; (c) local development. Then incremental and innovative changes will be discussed and a more differentiated classification will be proposed. This provides a framework for modelling different developmental processes, which will be illustrated by means of case examples. In addition, the results of a Danish survey on continuous improvements will be related to the three types of initiatives. Tentative theoretical and practical implications will be outlined.

Keywords: modelling change process; project; continuous improvement; company development; cross-functional development; classification.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1997.001713

International Journal of Technology Management, 1997 Vol.14 No.1, pp.61-73

Published online: 17 Aug 2003 *

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